Kelso could be in line for 206 new homes

Kathryn Wylie

Plans to build 206 new homes on the outskirts of Kelso have taken another step forward this week.

A development offering three and four-bedroom homes will be considered by Scottish Borders Council in the coming weeks.

Land at Wallaceneuk near Kelso where 206 new houses are planned.

Outline planning for development of the site, north east and west of Wallaceneuk, just off the A698 Jedburgh road, was approved subject to conditions last May, and now Melrose-based building firm Rural Renaissance have moved things forward once again by submitting an application for the approval of those conditions.

With it, the company lays out more detailed plans, created by Galashiels-based Camerons architects, for the site which they hope could home 206 detached, semi-detached and terraced houses built over four phases. These all include pedestrian and road links to throughout, and phase three includes 31 homes marked as affordable.

The layout and design has been prepared, following a series of pre-application meetings with council officers.

In a report to planners Edinburgh-based Felsham Planning and Development, supported Rural Renaissance’s plans, saying: “This application is a bespoke design, which takes account of the characteristics of neighbouring properties and its wider surroundings.”

“Our client has a commitment to quality. This is reflected in over 60 years successful development in the Borders.”

The street and landscape design breaks the site into distinct areas with the proposed homes being split into four building phases of 55, then 33, then 44, then 43 houses respectively and with a total of 394 parking spaces offered. These will be created in distinct housing zones interconnected by a network of new public spaces including a central green, featuring a primary play space.

Main access to the new development comes from Jedburgh Road, while a secondary access encourages links for pedestrians, and cyclists within the site from all directions including from the High Wood to the north west to pedestrians, roads and footpaths to the North East of the existing housing, and footways to the former railway walk to the south west.

The proposal also allows for potential connection to the remaining land surrounding Wallaceneuk Farm.

Approving the outline planning application last year, SBC’s chief planning officer Ian Aikman said that the side had been previously identified as being suitable for housing development and that “there have been no substantive objections either to the proposed allocations through the local plan process, or to the planning application itself.”